Unmasking Canada And Debunking Some Canadian Myths And False Claims

Lionel Groulx opposed all non-Catholic immigration to Canada, supported the Fascists during WWII and the Spanish Civil War, and acted to deny access to Canada to Jewish asylum-seekers during the Holocaust.

Professor Tim Stanley reminds us that Sir John A Macdonald gave a speech about the need to preserve Canada for the “Aryan race.”

Canada is quite an amazing country in so far as not being able to admit the truth about who we are. We Canadians wear many masks to disguise ourselves from the rest of the world. Our relating of our past, present and future seem always belie our quiet acceptance of, if not direct approval with a whole passel of acts and deeds that we pretend not to be proud of in public. We are still building memorial statues to honor the people who do bad things to other people and saying so what it is just part of our history. We still name public places honoring the memory of people who are guilty of things like racism and the like and as in the case of Lionel Groulx refuse to acknowledge that putting these ill thought out honors in certain districts will insult and do offend the people living in these areas, or is it that as a government our leaders just do not care? We are careful not to mention these bad deeds of course and sinister, vile acts on the plaques and on the statues going so far as to make a fool out of any who might come forward and try to set the record straight , or make it known that the person perhaps because of the bad deeds was not worthy of the award. This is the Canada that we live in the Canada of half-truths,( wink, wink) ; the non racist Canada; the Canada that takes care of its veterans; the Canada where there are no hungry children and everyone lives in a home; the Canada where if you have a sickness you will see a doctor and get treated promptly no matter who you are and no matter how much money you have and finally the Canada that is a democracy and where the government cares about what you want and need and is there to serve you. Seriously though, these are some of the masks that our leaders in government don to prove to the world that Canada is a leader on the world stage when it comes to equal rights, freedom of speech and expression and equality for all people both domestically and abroad.

Where are the refugees of the Sun Sea? Are they free yet? Do you care? When was the last time you thought of their plight?

Canada had a few saving graces that I see and one was that we were a country that awaited with open arms any oppressed person who could make it to our shores, however they could by whatever means they could and in as many numbers as they arrived, seeking asylum from tyranny and refuge from danger and peril from their government and homeland. Canada did not care what race they were, to whom they prayed, or what food they ate, all we wanted those seeking our help to know is that they were safe and would get a fair shake in this country, but none of it is true, not anymore, because Canada has been changed at the very core of our decency by a tyrant of its own, the right honorablePrime Minister of CanadaStephen Harper. Now we lock up certain refugees in jail for not having correct paperwork, arriving in numbers 50 or more and if they arrive by sea. In the Canada of today the government claims that we have done all this to protect these people and ourselves, but I do not think they are feeling our love.

240 Canadian Bombs Dropped On Libya

Another thing that comes to my mind that Canada could be proud of is that we fought to preserve the integrity, dignity and lives of the oppressed, not for glory, not because a coalition was doing it, but because it was the right thing to do. We did not storm the beaches with soldiers, we did not bomb indiscriminately from bombers miles up in the sky and we did not launch missiles at countries from ships 800 miles away. Instead we used our diplomatic skills and our reputation as a seeker of non violent solutions and an ally to all who desire to negotiate peaceful solutions and a provider of peace keepers as a neutral force, not to strengthen one side, but to help keep order and allow the peace negotiated for by both sides to see fruition, but none of it is true, not anymore, because Canada has been changed at the very core of our decency by a tyrant of its own, the right honorable Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper.

After photo opt we pulled helping troops before our job was done, because our self-imposed time frame dictated it.

Canada was once considered one of the most generous countries in the world, first to arrive at a disaster and last to leave. We were known for being one of the few countries not to just show up for the photo opt, but to actually give the aid needed and if nothing else stayed on the ground to provide physical, emotional and technical support. We were a loved country for our generosity, because we asked for nothing in return, but all this has changed, today we help those we feel have something we need in the way of trade and ask for private donations for those we deem to have nothing only willing to meet what the private citizen can scrounge together by a set time. As in Haiti, when we say we are leaving in 3 weeks that is what we will do even if there is still a need for our help and even if we have not accomplished the mission. We used to be a country with a conscience, a heart and compassion. but none of it is true, not anymore, because Canada has been changed at the very core of our decency by a tyrant of its own, the right honorable Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper.

An IdleNoMore rally in Edmonton, 11 December 2012

In todays Canada we have lost the few things that were at least saving graces, while improving nothing of the shameful things of our past, in any meaningful way . We make claims to be a civilized country and a civilized people, but how is that possible when we preach hatred, secularism and worry about economic growth more than we worry about our most fragile citizens? How can we as a country call ourselves civilized, when we put the making and the saving of money ahead of medical care, education and our First Nations People who are still living in the same squalor they were in when we forced them onto reservations? How can we consider ourselves a civilized country, when we think that killing people is better than diplomacy and being considered a warrior nation is better than being considered a peace keeping nation? Prime Minister Harper speech about the need to preserve Canada’s true European heritage, European flavor and culture at all cost for Canada’s real Canadians, was not far off Sir John A Macdonald’s Aryan speech. His restricting who can come here with immigration law is not far off of Lionel Groulx’s position and so many more of our leaders throughout our history.

Itis time to take off our many masks Canada and become the proud people we once were with all of the heart and compassion we once had and all of the conscience that allowed us to feel the shame of wrongful acts, that allowed for the possibility of meaningful change and the hope of a better day.

our country, while very rich and beautiful, has a tainted past that im less and less proud to speak and even read about. there seems to be a wave of change cresting right in time for a new year. i pray its the meaningful change you speak about.
blessings.